Oprichting van een standbeeld voor de schilder Pieter Paul Rubens te Antwerpen, penning geslagen op last van de Societe Royale des Sciences, Lettres et Arts te Antwerpen 1840

This medal was made by Laurent Joseph Hart to commemorate the erection of a statue of Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp. Though undated, it was likely made in the 1840s, around the time the statue itself was installed. Rubens was a crucial figure for Antwerp, but why this commemorative act? In the 19th century, the idea of national identity was becoming important. Countries and cities looked back to their past for great figures to celebrate, a way of creating a shared history and a sense of belonging. Rubens, as a famous artist born in Antwerp, became a symbol of the city's cultural importance. It’s interesting to see how institutions like the Societe Royale des Sciences, Lettres et Arts played a role in shaping cultural memory. Such institutions helped to define who and what was worth remembering. To understand more, we can look at the archives of the Societe Royale, and the records of the city of Antwerp to understand the full story behind the monument to Rubens. The history of art is always connected to the history of its institutions.